Stage 4
Stage 4, named Chaos Maze according to the Genesis Kid Chameleon manual, is a theoretical section of the game Kid Chameleon, comprising all levels from Diamond Edge (right after the third boss, Bagel Brothers) to the end of the game. Although it is not difficult to outline a main route through the previous stages in the game —mostly by choosing to exit all levels through the flag—, the plan for Stage 4 is a perfect maze (as you can see in the map), with many alternate routes and detours. As usual, you'll never know if you're taking the shortest or the longest route until it is too late. Or even later. *Stage 4 comprises 33 rounds, including 15 Elsewhere levels, making it the busiest in the game. *Extremely good (or lucky) choices can take a player to the end of the game through only 9 levels. *Extremely poor choices can make the trip as extenuating as 28 levels long. *It is the only stage with no Lions. *It is the only stage not to begin with a Woods-themed level. *It is the only stage with Cave-themed Elsewhere levels. Confusion is increased by the absence of flags in most levels. Rounds Compulsory levels The following levels you MUST visit, no matter which path you take. These usually have flags. Flags usually take you to the next in the list: *Diamond Edge (no flag) *Secrets in the Rocks *Ice God's Vengeance (no flag, but only one possible exit to:) *Beneath the Twisted Hills *Alien Isle (no flag, but only one possible exit to:) *The Land Below *The Final Marathon *Plethora Detours The following tries to clarify the whole maze. Notice Elsewheres are not listed under this title. See the map for reference. *There are five possible exits from Diamond Edge. They all take you to one of the following three routes. **Scorpion Isle + The Hills Have Eyes route. **Towers of Blood + Alien Twilight route. Inside this one, you can even deflect to: ***The Crypt **Straight to The Hills Have Eyes route. *All of the above will take you in the end to Secrets in the Rock. There, not choosing the flag means another detour: **Tunnels Beneath the Woods **Hills of Forever, and/or **Monster Island *Any of the two above may take you to Ice God's Vengeance + Beneath the Twisted Hills. From there, relinquishing the flag will take you to: **The Shimmering Caves (+ Elsewheres 27 and 29, minimum). *The one above takes you to Alien Isle + The Land Below, from which you can still lose you path and end up in: **Sky Fortress And now, for the Elsewheres: Elsewhere levels *Elsewhere 17 and 18 consecutively, an alternate path from Diamond Edge to Scorpion Isle. *Elsewhere 19, an alternate path from Diamond Edge to Towers of Blood. *Elsewhere 20, an optional bypass between Towers of Blood and Alien Twilight, which is also the entry to The Crypt. *Elsewhere 21, a dead end in The Crypt. *Elsewhere 22, an optional bypass between The Hills Have Eyes and Secrets in the Rocks, which is also the entry to Alien Twilight. *Elsewhere 23, a transition level between Secrets in the Rock and Tunnels Beneath the Woods. *Elsewhere 24, an optional bypass between Tunnels Beneath the Woods and Hills of Forever, and also a shortcut to Monster Island (although Monster Island is a detour itself). *Elsewhere 25, a dead end in Hills of Forever. *Elsewhere 26, a dead end in Monster Island. *Elsewhere 27, a transition level between Beneath the Twisted Hills and The Shimmering Caves. *Elsewhere 28, a dead end in The Shimmering Caves. *Elsewhere 29, a transition level between The Shimmering Caves and Alien Isle. *Elsewhere 30, a transition level between The Land Below and Sky Fortress. *Elsewhere 31, a dead end in Sky Fortress. (Phew!) See also *Level *Stage Stage 4